Just talking out loud, again.

[Katie]

Hi, some of you might remember me. I come around every so often.

Anyway, I need to talk about clumsiness. I drop things. A lot. I have trouble picking things up that I drop. I'll drop a pen at work, and then I'll either miss picking it up (not reach down far enough) two or three times, or I'll pick it up and drop it again a few times before I've finally got it.

I also bump into things a lot. I cut corners too close. I hit counter tops, dressers, beds, and even doorways.

I've kind of just always thought it was just me.

I have JME. And it's frontal lobe epilepsy. I suffer from depression and anxiety. And I get migraines. All starting around the same time, 10-11 years old. I'm 24 now. But all of these symptoms started together.

I've had MRIs and an EEG. MRI was normal, EEG was not.

Right now, I take Keppra XR 500mg, Celexa 20mg, Trazodone 50mg, and use the Nuvaring. If I can afford it, I take Maxalt for migraines. I get 9 a month for $80 with my insurance. Yesterday a coworker gave me an Amerge and it worked like a dream. I'm going to ask about it.

Right now I'm severely overworked. I work two jobs 6 days a week. I'm just spent. On my days off I have slept upwards of 13 hours, even without a migraine, and I could sleep more. I cannot possibly explain how exhausted I am.

Lately, I've been having migraines almost daily for the past two weeks.

I had bloodwork done at my regular doctor's office a few months ago and everything was normal. I called my neurologist's office Friday to schedule an appointment. Apparently they're moving locations and are not booking appointments for 5 months.

I don't know what to do. I'm going to call around tomorrow and see if I can find a new neurologist. I'm just at a loss. I feel like such a weirdo. People see me run I to things and drop things and they think I'm just clumsy. My job tells me to take Advil and come into work. Keppra works partially.

I just feel like a neurological mess!

 

[zbird]

Wow Katie, you must be absolutely exhausted with that work schedule. I would imagine that your schedule is contributing to your clumsiness. Even people without E and the medications would have issues with clumsiness with the sleep deprivation you must be experiencing. Go easy on yourself... you aren't superhuman after all. As for the neurologist, did they offer a referral to a colleague since they won't schedule an appointment for you? Unbelievable (maybe not) that they seem to have no problem not taking care of their patients. Best of luck to you, hope you can get more sleep soon.

 

[Katie]

Thanks. They didn't offer any referrals. They said they'd put me on their list. I'm assuming of patients to call back when they're taking appointments.

I love my ndoc. But the staff at his office (except for one awesome girl) is impossible and the nurse practitioner there is awful. She's super nice but I don't feel like she listens to me at all. I mean literally. She'll say, "And you said you're still on the Lamictal, right?" And I'm like, "No. I'm on Keppra." It's things like that.

I am desperately looking for a new job that pays more. I have a bachelor's degree in operations management and I'm a vet tech and work at a boarding kennel making $20k a year. If I didn't have four roommates I wouldn't be able to eat. I literally have no extra money.

It's just a very stressful time. I have an interview on Wednesday. I'm super nervous about it. It's a management position and I have no management experience. I'm really not the leader type. A better follower. But hey, I got an interview!

 

[Silat]

Whoa... talk about sleep deprivation

As zbird said, anyone working that schedule with that level of sleep deprivation would be having coordination problems, and I'm sure they're affected even more because of your E and the medicines you take...

Sleep deprivation is also a cause of migraines, and makes migraines worse as well.

Is there any possible way to squeeze in a little extra sleep? :?

Also, best of luck to you on Wednesday at your interview!

 

[Katie]

Thank you! I really feel like I'm losing it sometimes. I am up at 5-5:30am every day but Wednesday. I try to get to bed by 9 or 10pm but it's hard when I have a house to take care of too! Not to mention the dogs. Good thing I don't have kids!

I really do need to get more sleep. Even with 8 hours, getting up at 5am just wears on me. I don't handle it well.

 

[Katie]

I feel bad complaining because I know I'm lucky to have a job, and I know there are so many people who work so much harder than I do. I just really don't feel like I can handle it.

 

[julie wishes]

I feel bad complaining because I know I'm lucky to have a job, and I know there are so many people who work so much harder than I do. I just really don't feel like I can handle it.

Sometimes our bodies are telling us something and we should listen I wish you made more money and worked less. Try to exercise and eat right during this time until things improve. Don't overdo it. Get any sleep you can. avoid excess stress. Laugh and enjoy things when possible. But really make more work less is the answer. Maybe read up on managerial duties before your interview. Good luck

 

[Westwind]

I've kind of just always thought it was just me.

I have a tendancy to drop things and run into things too. Couldn't stop dropping my cane Saturday for some reason. I get cuts, scrapes, bruises and don't even know how I got them half the time. My shins are scattered with injuries most of the time. Run into door jams with my shoulders. I have a rollator (3 wheel walker), and while it's safer for me to use it around the house (run into things with the walker, not my body), I don't like using it and try to stick with my cane.

I was at the grocery store, picked something off the shelf...dropped it. Lady a few feet away says "butter fingers!". I sigh internally, then said, "Yeah, I do that alot" and walked away.

Good luck with the interview !

 

[Katie]

Thanks all. I'm really nervous about the interview. I hope it goes well and my shyness doesn't get the best of me.

Westwind, I'm glad I'm not the only one!! I hit door jams with my shoulders multiple times a day. My shins and knees always have bruises. And like you, I don't know why! My pain tolerance is high, so at least I'm lucky there. But I swear, if it's there, I'll run into it. I have even bumped into walls!